ER director honoring for saving Orem firefighter's life

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Brett Kay, left, ER Director at Timpanogos Hospital, tries on a signed and personalized helmet given to him by the Orem Fire Department as a thank you gift Jan. 13, 2012, at Timpanogos Hospital in Orem. Kay helped save Mike Stentzel, an Orem firefighter who suffered a stroke while working out in early November.

In early November, Orem firefighter Mike Stentzel suffered a stroke while working out. Other firefighters in his department, along with Brett Kay, the emergency room director at Timpanogos Regional Hospital, rushed to his aid. Determined to stay by his side, Kay stuck with Stentzel until he arrived at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Stentzel survived, but spent weeks in a coma.

As a gesture of gratitude, Orem firefighters presented the nurse-turned-ER-director with a signed and personalized department helmet during a surprise visit to the emergency room at the hospital on Friday.

"This is really cool," Kay said, handling the helmet. "I have got to clear off the top shelf in my office for this one."

Kay helps train firefighters in the Orem department for situations such as Stentzel's case, but they never expected one of their own to become a victim.

"We thought he was history," Kay said. "I could not have asked for a better team effort."

Cameron Monahan, an Orem firefighter paramedic and former partner of Stentzel, was grateful for the hasty, top-priority treatment on the day of the stroke.

"Kay made a big difference to all of the guys here and in departments beyond our own," Monahan said.

The Stentzels are expecting the birth of their first child in late January. The department, along with others, are responsible for the creation of the Mike Stentzel fund at Zions Bank, which is accepting donations to help Stentzel in his recovery through physical therapy. Donations are also accepted throughhttp://oremfiremike.blogspot.com.